


The Prince in the Woods

by kittydesade



Category: Hollow Crown (2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-24
Updated: 2012-12-24
Packaged: 2017-11-22 05:26:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/606294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittydesade/pseuds/kittydesade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A short scene of Ned and Hal, out in the woods.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Prince in the Woods

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kohaku1977](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kohaku1977/gifts).



Over the sun-stippled leaves they rode, vaulting the rotted lengths of trees and crashing through the underbrush with no care or concern for what might lay in their path. All animals scattered before their approach, and narrow limbs snapped under the hooves of their mounts. At the start of the merriment there had now and again been sounds of laughter, but now there was only the breathless heaving of horses and men as they raced to the edge of the woods. It was summertime, and the people were content. 

"And did I not tell you that the berries plucked straight from the branch, the water cooled by the earth at the base of the spring, the comfort of a bed of moss warmed by the sun was better than any that might be had at any tavern in the capital?" The darker haired one spoke with deep affection and familiarity to the other, which might well have been earned by his acquiescence to the request of a day of leisure. 

The fair haired one looked around. "And so you did, and so it is, and I should give many thanks that you were so patient as to persuade me out of doors and out from behind the city walls." 

His voice, less than the joyful clarity of his companion, was no less heartfelt for the dearth of volume. His friend reined in his horse's frothed excitement and sat back, waiting for the conclusion of the fair prince's thoughts. 

"How came you across this trail, Ned, that seems to know the tread of neither horse nor man?"

"In faith, I was chasing some ragged brace of maidens, and found myself further and longer from the farm at which they lived. They knew these woods better than I, and lost me well among the trees. But I found the day so peaceful I did not think to miss them."

Ned's story had a smile from the prince, that being a look of melancholy yet full of cheery fondness. "Then the day was not entirely lost. I could see myself lost in this place; these woods have a magical quality, as might a grove known only to the fairy queen, a place of endless summer where no unforgiving shadow dare to fall." 

The prince's tone was not lost on his friend, who watched as the fair-haired lad took his horse a distance further. Something weighed heavy upon his friend's mind, some matter of statecraft which Ned Poins dared not pry out of him, for statecraft was not his field and the prince would be right to deny him. But something which yet could be put aside, if his friend would be persuaded. They were, he thought, all but there.

"Let's have a race again," he called, drawing up reins. "The horses are rested, if you've a mind. The last wasn't but from one clearing to the next."

"To the edge of the woods, as I recall." But the prince did turn and smiled with all of his good humor. "And where shall we to now?"

Ned gave it some thought, turning 'round and back again. "Along the woods some goodly distance there is a stand of brush that marks a spring, with lavender and violets there beside. To that stand and back again, and the first one whose mount reaches the old mill road will claim the forfeit of the loser."

"I'll see that forfeit of you, and claim it straight," and with that bent of overeagerness and grin of challenge, they started on, the prince a half a step ahead of the other. 

It was a ground suited for racing, level and of good hard-packed earth, with no rain in the fortnight to muddy the track. Both men were skilled enough on horseback that they kept their seat straight to the stand of which Ned Poins had spoke, wheeled around and back again. But along the stretch of field returning they parted ways, not far, but wide enough that Ned, still laughing and looking behind, was swept to the ground when his horse shied and bolted off the course. 

The prince gave over all thought of races and forfeits, pulling to his fallen friend and dismounting still in motion. The dark-haired man lay still on the ground, breathing so shallow that in that moment the prince feared his dear friend had lost his life to their games. But with closer examination he saw dear Ned still breathed, still lived, and simply wanted waking. He sat back again upon the chilly ground and sighed, stroking the furrowed pain from his friend's brow. A shadow passed over the sun, as the offending horse returned and time mounted worry upon worry. 

"An you come out of this uninjured, I'll injure thee for causing such a fright. And if you've caused us to endure a night in this remote stretch of woods I'll thump thee twice."

"I thought you found these woods passing lovely," Ned offered without opening his eyes or giving any other sign that he'd awakened. "Or were you only offering me your good humor for my pride's sake."

"I offered you the truth of my heart," the prince said with relieved joy and perturbation all in one. "And you repaid me with that most dreadful sound of your wine-addled wooden head striking the ground." 

And now Ned did open his eyes, and smiled upon his prince. "And I could teach the horses to throw me, or you, or anyone else as I pleased. I could send old Falstaff rolling down the lane at market, or rob some poor pretentious fool of his tightly guarded dignity."

"You grow repetitious," the prince laughed quietly. "And tiresome, and if you have had your fill of resting on bare earth and rocks, there might be a mug of good ale waiting for us when we return."

"And what shall we tell the good folk happened here, when I come down all bruised? Shall we tell them we had a wrestle in the woods? We found a great bear and bore it to the ground, only being exhausted from the fight we left it there for the wild animals to eat, rather than take it back for its parts."

"They may believe what they will, it's none of me." 

Ned pulled himself upright, to look patiently at his prince and wait for his meaning to come clear. "And what will they say, with us two and leaves in our hair?" 

The prince said nothing, did nothing, but searched Ned's face in thought. And Ned searched his heart for those iron bands which seemed to have left him in the fall, leaving far too much promise and anticipation between them.


End file.
